


Going Steady

by ami_ven



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: mcsheplets, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-18
Updated: 2015-03-18
Packaged: 2018-03-18 10:09:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3565772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That was the second person who thought John should know Rodney’s position on the end of DADT, and he’d only spoken to three people.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Going Steady

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "mcsheplets" prompt #065 "don't ask, don't tell"

The official word on the final repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell came through with the weekly data-burst, in a memo so boring and businesslike that John almost missed it.

He read it again, this time catching phrases like _fully recognizing same-sex marriages_ and _chaplains now authorized to perform above-mentioned_ and _tolerate no discrimination by Armed Forces personnel on the basis of gender, religion or sexual orientation_. In short, DADT was completely gone and the standard regulations had been changed accordingly.

John didn’t think there would be any problem ending the policy in Atlantis. In a place where getting eaten by space vampires was a real possibility, most people worried more about whether the person next to them could shoot straight instead of who they might be sleeping with. And, he thought, when trusting the members of their teams was so important, it would be easier if nobody had to hide or deny part of who they were.

“Yes, and about time, too,” said Woolsey, when John went to his office to see if he’d gotten a similar memo, and ask about Atlantis’s official policy. “Especially on an expedition like this, military and civilian international forces. I suppose that made… hiding, that much more difficult.”

“I guess,” said John. “We should make sure the new councilor is available, in case anybody wants to talk about this.”

“Yes, very good,” said Woolsey, like that wasn’t quite the answer he was expecting. “Would you like me to make the city-wide announcement right away, or would you prefer to talk to your men privately first?”

“A city-wide announcement tonight would be better,” said John. “The most number of people are around then. And I’ll talk to the department heads, see if or where they think there’ll be any problems.”

“Good idea, colonel. I’ll start drafting something to say tonight. Oh, and, colonel? Congratulations.”

“Um, thanks,” said John, and left.

“I got the same memo, sir,” said Lorne, who was in John’s office. “And I don’t think there will be any problems. You missed out on the SGC’s usual battery of pre-reassignment evals— they don’t let people with really strong prejudices through the ‘gate.”

“Well, good to know, major,” said John. “That’s one less headache for me to deal with, I guess.”

“Right, sir,” said Lorne. “How did Dr. McKay take the news?”

John shot him a sideways look. “Haven’t talked to Rodney yet. I figured this would affect the military the most, so I’d better start with them.”

“Right, sir,” Lorne said again. “In that case, could you pass along my congratulations?”

“Sure, major,” said John, still confused, and left.

“Aye, I’ve heard,” said Carson, when he and John had stepped into his office. “And it’s about time, too. As if they militar should have any say in who you love, so long as both parties are willing.”

“Um, right,” said John. “Then you don’t think there will be any problems?”

“Nothing significant, I should think,” the doctor mused. “There’s bound to be some miscommunications, misunderstandings. But those can most likely be handled fairly easily.”

“Good. Let me know if anything does come up.”

“Of course, John. And how is Rodney handling this?”

“I haven’t talked to him,” said John. “But given that he can’t usually remember the names of the scientist he sees every day, I don’t think he’s really thought much about their love lives.”

“Ah,” said Carson, in an odd tone of voice. “I’ll keep an eye out for anything strange, then, shall I?”

“Thanks, Carson,” said John, and left.

That was the second person who thought he should know Rodney’s position on the end of DADT, and he’d only spoken to three people. But Rodney was a civilian, DADT had never applied to him—

Unless he was interested in one of John’s men.

John stopped in the middle of the corridor. He’d never thought to wonder if Rodney was gay. He talked enough about busty blondes and his _totally over_ crush on Sam Carter that it couldn’t entirely be an act— Rodney just wasn’t that good at lying. But he could easily be bisexual.

And maybe a military guy would be good for Rodney. John had liked Katie Brown, but she’d never had enough backbone to really stand up to Rodney when he was being stubborn, and Jennifer Keller had always been trying to change Rodney when he was just fine the way he was. What Rodney _needed_ was someone who understood him, who kept him from overextending himself with his work, who enjoyed being with him instead of just tolerating him. And if one of John’s men could do that, John would be happy for them.

Right?

John hadn’t realized he’d started walking again until he found himself in the corridor leading to Rodney’s lab. He froze again, seriously contemplating a strategic retreat when the door opened.

“Colonel, there you are,” said Rodney. “I need you to come activate something for me.”

“Sure,” John agreed, automatically, then he remembered, “Did you get an e-mail this morning?”

“I get dozens of e-mails, colonel, most of which I delete without reading. Be more specific.”

John followed him back into the lab. “An official memo on the full repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

“Oh, that,” said Rodney. “Yes, I did. So nice of your military to join the rest of us in the twenty-first century.”

“Well, the military’s motto is _hurry up and wait_ ,” said John, then paused. “Is there anything you might want to tell me now?”

They were in one of the smaller labs, set up for testing potentially-dangerous Ancient devices, and it was empty.

“What would I have to tell you?” Rodney asked, setting his laptop on the table beside a toaster-sized Ancient something. “I’ve never been under your asinine regulation, being wisely both a civilian and a Canadian. And I know you heard my stories about grad school when Halling got us drunk on ruus wine at the last Athosian harvest festival. To be honest, I’ve always been more interested with what’s inside a person’s head than what’s in their pants.”

“Yeah,” said John. He’d been pretty drunk at the festival, too, but he remembered. “But I talked to a couple of people about this thing already, and they seemed to think I should know your opinion on it. So, if you are, you know, interested in… and you’re planning on seeing one of my men—”

“Don’t be ridiculous, colonel,” Rodney interrupted. “The only one of your men who is _remotely_ smart enough to interest me is you. Now, put one hand on the flat part of the device and think ‘calibrate’.”

John automatically put his hand on the Ancient toaster, just as his brain finally made sense of what Woolsey, Lorne and Carson must have meant. “Oh, my god.”

“What?” said Rodney, worriedly. When John didn’t answer, he dropped his scanner and grabbed John’s wrist, pulling his hand away from the device and forcing him a step backwards. “Sheppard, what happened? Are you all right? John? Say something!”

“I’m okay,” John managed, after a moment. “The device didn’t do anything. I just realized something.”

“And you had to do that right now?” Rodney demanded. “I thought something had happened to you!”

“I was jealous,” said John, surprised. “I’ve _been_ jealous.”

“Of what?” Rodney asked. “Who?”

“Whichever one of my guys you were dating.”

“I’m not dating one of your guys,” said Rodney. “I’m not dating anyone. If I _was_ dating someone, Sheppard, you’d be the first to know, because I spend every minute I’m not working, and even most of the ones that I _am_ with— Oh, my god.”

“What?”

“I _am_ dating one of your guys, Sheppard. I’m dating _you_.”

“And we’re the last to know,” said John, with a slow smile. “Woolsey and Lorne say ‘congratulations’, by the way.”

“But we’re not— we haven’t been— do you even _want_ to?”

John thought of half-a-dozen flippant remarks, but he didn’t make any of them. “Yeah,” he said, instead. “Hey, Rodney, you wanna go steady?”

“Oh, my god,” Rodney said again, and kissed him.

THE END


End file.
